The Perfect Family
by Gilana
Summary: SB/RL, RW/HG. A fluffy fic about Harry's 16th birthday. A cake, a trip to Diagon Alley, dinner at the Burrow, and a proposal. And yes, there is SLASH. So if that's not your thing keep scrolling... otherwise please R&R.
1. Chapter One

The characters, places, and song used do not belong to me. They are the property of J.K. Rowling and the Beatles, respectively. However, I am claiming Remus' apron…  
  
Contains male/male pairing, aka slash. If you don't like it, don't read it.  
  
Anyway, enjoy!  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Harry opened his eyes and smiled as he realized what day it was: July 31, his sixteenth birthday.  
  
'Yes this is going to be the best birthday ever,' he thought as he fumbled around for his glasses. Not only was he not with the Dursleys but he was living with two of his favorite people- Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.  
  
At the end of the previous school year, Harry's fifth, Sirius' name had finally been cleared and Peter Pettigrew was thrown into Azkaban. Once again Harry's godfather asked if Harry would like to live with him. The answer was, of course, yes. So after Harry's final exam was over he and Sirius made a little visit to the Dursleys to let them know that Harry would no longer be staying with them.  
  
Harry chuckled as he remembered the incident. It was very similar to the confrontation between Ron's Dad and Uncle Vernon the summer before Harry's fourth year. But this visit didn't end with the living room in shambles and Dudley's tongue three feet longer than usual. This had been far funnier. The Dursleys recognized Sirius from the wanted ads on TV. That only added to their horror of meeting an adult wizard who was allowed to use his magic in their home. Sirius put more hexes on them than Harry could name. He was sure all of the effects wouldn't completely wear off for months. The Dursleys were so scared by the end of the visit they probably would have given Sirius their house if they thought it would make him leave them alone. But once they had arrived at Sirius' house, several miles from Hogsmeade, it was Harry's turn to receive a shock.  
  
Remus Lupin, Harry's former Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor and one of Sirius' best friends from his time at Hogwarts, was waiting for them in the kitchen sipping tea when they arrived. He greeted both of them warmly and turned to Sirius. "Should we tell him now?" he asked, and Sirius nodded.  
  
"Harry," Remus started, "I'm moving in with the two of you."  
  
"And we wanted to wait until I was officially cleared to tell you this Harry. Remus and I have been dating since our sixth year at school and we're still just as much in love."  
  
"I guess we're trying to make up for the thirteen years we had to spend apart."  
  
Sirius snorted. "Yes, that and Moony here doesn't trust me to take care of my own godson by myself!"  
  
Harry gaped at the couple, and then a look of understanding crept across his face followed by a smile. "Oh, so that's why Dumbledore kept sending you to talk to Remus last year." And the three of them burst into laughter.  
  
As Harry got dressed, he grew even more excited. Sirius and Remus were going to take Harry to Diagon Alley to shop for school supplies and his birthday presents. Then they were going to the Burrow for dinner with the Weasleys and Hermione.  
  
Harry heard Remus' voice as he ran down the stairs and into the kitchen.  
  
"Sirius, I asked you to hand me a cup of flour- not use your wand to send it flying towards me and then dump it over my head!" A now very white Remus was glowering at Sirius who was nearly rolling on the floor laughing. It was at times like these that it was clear to Harry who of the Marauders had organized their pranks and who had been the voice of reason.  
  
"I see you two are enjoying yourselves this morning," Harry said brightly as he sat down at the table.  
  
"Well Siri and I were making you a cake until he decided I was the mixing bowl." Remus pointed his wand at himself making the flour disappear. He was wearing a pink ruffled apron over his usual robes.  
  
Harry didn't know whether be scared or laugh. "Er, Remus… why are you wearing that apron?"  
  
"Well, er … ah," Remus coughed and blushed slightly. "It was on Sirius', er, suggestion. He seems to like it."  
  
"Indeed I do," Sirius muttered, smiling evilly.  
  
Harry pretended not to hear this comment. "So about this cake… you didn't really mean were making it, did you Moony?" Harry tried to give him an innocent smile.  
  
"I meant it if you or your troublesome godfather decide to disturb me."  
  
Sirius let out a heavy, melodramatic sigh. "I suppose that would be our cue to go into the living room now," he said, dragging Harry by the hand.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
By midmorning, the cake was in the oven, and all three members of the household were ready to leave, with a pinch of Floo Powder in their hands. They each stepped into the fire, tossed the powder in the air and said "The Leaky Cauldron". A few seconds later, they appeared with a pop in the fireplace of the biggest pub on Diagon Alley.  
  
"Alright," Harry said looking down at his list of school supplies. "First we need to go to Flourish and Blotts for my new books, then Ollivanders to get my wand cleaned, and then to get some new robes to replace the ones I ruined during my Potions exam last term." His truth potion had been a little too strong and he had boiled it a little too long. The cauldron exploded and the potion had burned holes in the table as well as Harry's robes beyond what a simple charm could fix. But thankfully for his potions grade, Snape had been in an uncharacteristically good mood that day and had given him another chance to make the potion- after he cleaned up his first cauldron, that is.  
  
After the first two errands had been accomplished, Remus and Harry headed off to Madame Malkin's as Sirius went to purchase some things they needed around the house. Harry was utterly shocked by the sight that greeted him as he entered the shop.  
  
Draco Malfoy was standing in front of a three-way mirror trying on a robe. And not just any robe, mind you—this was the tightest men's dress robe Harry had ever seen. Malfoy might have almost been handsome- that is if he wasn't, well, Malfoy. Harry nearly choked in shock.  
  
"They actually make robes like that?"  
  
"They sure do. In fact Sirius used to have a few of them."  
  
"S-Sirius had those?"  
  
"Actually, if I remember correctly, his were midnight blue. But that's rather irrelevant, isn't it? He enjoyed showing off all the muscle he got from Quidditch practice." Lupin lowered his voice slightly, "and he got an even bigger kick out of watching the girls' faces fall as he came to a dance looking like that, with me on his arm!"  
  
This image sent both of them into a fit of laughter. At this point Draco finally noticed their presence and turned around coldly.  
  
"So … Potter's come to do his charity work, I see. But who would have thought that Professor Lupin's need was so dire that he would abandon Weasley. Or have you brought him along too? Maybe to carry the bags for a few extra knuts?"  
  
His snide remark sobered both Harry and Remus quickly. Then unexpectedly Remus grinned slightly.  
  
"Draco, I haven't had the pleasure of seeing you since the end of your third year. I've really missed teaching you. Though I imagine your being transfigured into a ferret and bounced along the stone floor of the halls has greatly changed your attitude at school."  
  
The blond haired boy got a sour look on his face. He knew exactly what Remus was talking about. Everyone, inside and outside of school, knew about it; the incident had become famous. Professor Moody, who had taken Lupin's old position, turned Malfoy into a bouncing white ferret at the beginning of the school year for trying to attack Harry when his back was turned. Malfoy scowled at him and blushed at the same time.  
  
He took advantage of Malfoy's momentary silence. Harry walked past him on his way toward the rack of robes. "By the way, nice robe Malfoy," he snickered.  
  
Harry watched Draco angrily flounce back to the dressing room. Slowly he turned around and pointed his wand at Harry. But before he could say a curse, Remus had his wand pointed at Draco and had already muttered a spell.  
  
Draco opened and closed his mouth several times. Then he clutched his throat with something that looked very much like panic.  
  
"As I am no longer you professor," Remus said rather matter of factly, "I see no reason not to ensure a few moments peace from you while we shop. Your voice will return within an hour." Harry could have sworn Remus added under his breath, 'or two…'. Remus turned to Harry, "So, some new school robes… shall we?"  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Siri, you should have seen the look on his face! Honestly, I wish I had had a camera. Malfoy hasn't looked that shocked since the time Hermione slapped him."  
  
The three residents of the Black household were sitting around the table drinking pumpkin juice. Harry was updating Sirius on their earlier encounter with Malfoy in Madam Malkin's.  
  
"Remus was absolutely brilliant," Harry gushed. "You know Moony, I'd really like to learn that curse. It might come in handy if Malfoy insists on bothering us again- or if Hermione starts quoting Hogwarts, A History too much…"  
  
"Well I suppose it would be ok if I showed it to you… as long as you don't make a habit of using it." Harry grinned.  
  
Sirius' face abruptly grew stern. "Now Remus," he chided, "as brilliant as you may have been, I'm very disappointed in you… Why in Merlin's name couldn't you have cursed the git while I was there to enjoy it?"  
  
"I'm sorry Padfoot," Remus said gravely trying to mask his amusement. "Next time I decide to curse a former student that I know you particularly don't like, I'll be sure to wait until you're there."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Chapter 2, going to the Burrow, will be uploaded soon.  
  
But while you're waiting, please review! 


	2. Chapter Two

The Burrow was bustling with people and noise. In the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley had several wands in her hand, each of which was controlling the preparation of a different dish. Mr. Weasley was busily getting all the silverware, plates and glasses out. In the front yard Bill and Charlie were supposed to be setting up two long tables. But they had their wands out, and each one was making a table fly fifteen feet in the air. Not only were the tables flying- they were having a midair duel as Fred and George cheered them on. Ron, Ginny and Hermione were sitting around the fireplace making banners that said Happy Birthday Harry. Actually, it was really Hermione who was trying to enchant the letters she had written on the banner while Ron and Ginny made unhelpful suggestions. Percy was, of course, up in his room under the pretext of doing work. (Though the boys suspected he was actually writing a love letter to his fiancée, Penelope, who was visiting her family in the south of France.)  
  
Ron, Hermione and Ginny excitedly discussed the upcoming school year. They were making plans for the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year.  
  
"So are we going to go back into the Shrieking Shack again?" Ginny asked mischievously. The three Gryffendors, plus Harry, of course, had used the abandoned house a few times the previous year to get some peace and quiet. The only entrance was accessed at the base of the Whomping Willow and came out in the middle of the shack's living room. It really was the best place for them to go to be undisturbed- if you didn't mind the dust.  
  
"I don't know," Hermione said looking up from her work. Ginny had drawn a little Firebolt for her, and now she was trying to make it zoom around the sign. "I always worry a bit about going there. You know, someone coming in." She locked eyes with Ron and gave a little smile. Ron's ears reddened and he immediately pretended to find cleaning his wand fascinating as Hermione looked back down at the drawing. "But since Snape is the only other person at school who knows about it, there's really no reason to worry."  
  
"Yeah," Ron put in venomously. "And the last time he went there he gave Sirius to Fudge, who was more than happy to give him the Dementor's Kiss. As it turned out he practically forced Remus to leave Hogwarts."  
  
"I hope Snape couldn't look at himself in the mirror once he found out Sirius was cleared," Ginny said quietly.  
  
Hermione put her arm around the younger girl. "I know Ginn, Snape should have been ashamed of himself." She knew how attached Ginny had gotten to both Remus and Sirius. Remus was her favorite professor, as he had been most people's favorite. He and Ginny had exchanged owls throughout the school years after he left Hogwarts. He was something between a caring older brother, a father and a friend to her. As for Sirius, she had gotten to know him better during the summer after her third year. Mrs. Weasley had finally gotten over the initial shock that Sirius Black was not in fact a dangerous murderer. She and Mr. Weasley invited him to use their house to hide, as opposed to staying in caves outside of Hogsmeade. During the summer they learned first hand why Sirius and his gang had had a reputation for their antics. He had a sense of humor to rival that of Fred and George. Mrs. Weasley had the sneaking suspicion that Sirius had been helping the twins with Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, as well as supplying them with even more pranks for their final year at Hogwarts. She frequently commented that for the summer she had triplets, instead of twins.  
  
"Well anyway," Ginny continued, that mischievous glint returning to her eyes-after all she wasn't a Weasley for nothing. "I was thinking that if we were planning to go back, that maybe we could fix it up a little. I found a cleaning charm that looked useful. And I thought maybe we could even get a bit of new furniture."  
  
Ron looked excited but perplexed. "But where do you think we can get some decent used furniture? It's not like we can afford a brand new couch."  
  
"Actually," Ginny replied, "I already have the new furniture part taken care of. I overheard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick that our common room needed new furniture. She was planning to replace it all over the summer." She paused a moment and looked back and forth between Ron and Hermione who were both wearing the same expression.  
  
"So you asked her to give you the furniture from the commons room?" Hermione asked incredulously.  
  
Ginny nodded. "Right before we left, McGonagall helped me shrink it all and it's been upstairs in my trunk all summer."  
  
"Well it's settled then," Ron said beaming at his sister. "We'll just have to go back to the Shrieking Shack and see if we can't make it look decent."  
  
At that moment all plans of the Shrieking Shack were momentarily forgotten as they heard three pops in the fireplace. First Sirius appeared, then Remus, then the guest of honor, Harry. All three of his friends exclaimed "Happy Birthday!" as they jumped up to greet Harry and the two men.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Outside the sun was setting, and the air was filled with conversations of the occupants of the two large tables outside the Burrow. Remus and Percy were engaged in a conversation about Percy's latest project at the Ministry. And if the subject of Percy's report didn't fascinate Remus, he wasn't showing any signs of it. Sirius, Arthur and Molly had finally moved on from reminiscing about their memories of Hogwarts to discuss news from Diagon Alley. Fred was in the kitchen refilling some dish, and Charlie, Bill, and George were excitedly talking about the future of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.  
  
It was still hard to believe that the twins now owned Zonko's Joke Shop. Only two months ago Zonko had decided to retire. He was too old to be working in the store all day, and he had always wanted to move somewhere with a warmer climate. So when he decided to sell the shop he didn't even put an add in the Daily Prophet, he simply owled the boys telling them the news, making a very reasonable offer. It made perfect sense though. Fred and George were the most frequent Zonko's customers Hogwarts had ever seen, except perhaps for the Marauders in their day. The kind owner had even helped the twins perfect some of their inventions. And now Fred and George were the owners of the only joke shop in the only all-wizard city in Britain. Even Mrs. Weasley, as much as she hated to admit it, was proud of her boys.  
  
At the opposite end of the table Ginny had just finished filling Harry in on the plans for the Shrieking Shack. Harry looked just as shocked as Ron and Hermione had when Ginny came to the part about the 'new' furniture. He shook his head in amazement. "You know Ginny," Harry said, "if I had asked McGonagall about the furniture, she probably would have told me off for being nosy. That was really good thinking!"  
  
Ginny blushed a little at the compliment and mumbled that it was nothing.  
  
Ron hadn't really being paying attention to the conversation for the past few minutes. He was busy looking at Hermione, trying silently to get her attention. Finally she felt his eyes on her and turned her head to look at him. Ron raised his eyebrows as if he was asking her a question and tilted his head slightly towards Harry and Ginny. For a few seconds Hermione chewed on her lower lip deep in thought, then she smiled at Ron and nodded.  
  
"Um… Harry, Ginny, we want to tell you something. But we don't want the others to hear." Ron continued somewhat unsteadily in a quiet tone. "Well what we wanted to say was… er, that… uh what I mean is…"  
  
"Oh for Merlin's sake Ron," said Hermione. "What he means is that the two of us are going out. We've kind of been dating since this past April, but we were a little nervous about saying anything."  
  
"You know how we can start arguing so easily sometimes," Ron added, somewhat sheepishly. "And we just didn't want to mess anything up."  
  
"That's wonderful!" Ginny exclaimed.  
  
Harry nodded his head in agreement. "In some strange way," he added, "I think you two are perfect for each other."  
  
Hermione hugged them both and as she leaned back in her chair she took Ron's hand under the table. They were smiling at each other, but trying to make it look normal so no one else would notice.  
  
Suddenly Ginny started giggling. Looking at either Ron or Hermione would start a new fit of giggles. Finally she had her laughter under control. "So that's what Hermione was going on about with someone coming in! Because of the time we came in looking for you after all our exams. Oooo," she said, "Ron and Hermione wanted time alone."  
  
Suddenly they noticed Fred standing behind Ron's chair with a bowl in his hands. "Oh we have to tell the others the good news!" he squealed. "Who would have ever expected it out of our dear little Ronnie-kins and sweet Hermione the prefect." Fred pretended to look scandalized at the information he overheard.  
  
Before Fred had the chance to utter another word Ron popped up from his chair. "Mum we're all going upstairs now to give Harry his presents." And the four of them ran towards the Burrow.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Sirius stretched and yawned. "Well, I'm exhausted. I think Remus and I are going to head back home. I'll just run up and tell Harry to stay as long as he wants if that's ok with you Molly."  
  
"Of course, he can stay as long as he wants."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
A few minutes later, after saying goodbye to the Weasleys, Sirius and Remus apparated back to their house. "There's something upstairs I want to show you Moony," said Sirius. "Would you go into the bedroom, I'll be there in a minute."  
  
"Do you honestly think you could keep me out of the bedroom if I knew you were going to be there?" Remus said as he walked up the stairs.  
  
Sirius smiled a bit as he rummaged through a draw in the kitchen. He found the little box he was looking for buried under some old copies of the Daily Prophet. 'Good,' he thought, 'still where I left it. Remus didn't find it.' He took a few deep breaths and shoved his nerves aside as he went up stairs. He had always been a now or never type of guy.  
  
Remus was sitting on the bed waiting. "Moony, there's something I've been wanting to ask you for quite some time." Sirius then kneeled down on the floor and looked up into Remus' eyes. "You know I love you so much, and… well I'm not really that good with words. So I wanted to sing you something." Remus nodded, and Sirius started his song.  
  
  
  
"When I get older losing my hair,  
  
Many years from now.  
  
Will you still be sending me a valentine  
  
Birthday greetings bottle of wine.  
  
If I've been out till quarter to three  
  
Would you lock the door,  
  
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,  
  
When I'm sixty-four.  
  
  
  
  
  
"You'll be older too-oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo-oo,  
  
And it you say the word,  
  
I could stay with you.  
  
  
  
"I could be handy, mending a fuse  
  
When your lights have gone.  
  
You can knit a sweater by the fireside  
  
Sunday mornings go for a ride,  
  
Doing the garden, digging the weeds,  
  
Who could ask for more.  
  
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,  
  
When I'm sixty-four.  
  
  
  
"Every summer we can rent a cottage,  
  
In the Isle of Wight, if it's not too dear  
  
We shall scrimp and sa-aa-aa-aa, aa-aa-aa-ave  
  
Grandchildren on your knee  
  
Vera, Chuck and Dave.  
  
  
  
"Send me a postcard, drop me a line,  
  
Stating point of view  
  
Indicate precisely what you mean to say  
  
Yours sincerely, wasting away  
  
Give me your answer, fill in a form  
  
Mine for evermore  
  
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,  
  
When I'm sixty-four."  
  
  
  
Sirius opened the little box and took out a gold band. "Do you think you would mind too terribly much if we spent the rest of our lives together?"  
  
Remus smiled at him and wiped his tearing eyes. He took the ring in his hand looked at it. Inside was the inscription ~Yours forevermore, Sirius~. "I think that is the sweetest thing you have ever done for me Sirius," he said. "Of course I'll marry you. I had always assumed you were stuck with me anyway." He leaned down and kissed Sirius, who was still kneeling on the floor in front of him. "You know I love you too, so so much. And if you ask very nicely," he added, "I might even take your last name."  
  
~ Fin ~ 


End file.
